Parachute for airplanes



Feb# l0, 1931. M. 1 LITTLE 1,791,871

PARACHUTE FOR AIRPLANES v' Filed Feb. 14, 1929 INVIZNTQR MARY L. LITTLE i i UNITE-D,STArEs PATENT lorries-gi Y 1 Y n MARY AL ILICLTALE, or LoNGfBEAoH, CALIFonNIA f i' PAnAcnnnE Foa Ani'miivnsl l Applicativi ifea February" 14, v1929. sriai'ivo. 339,839. i

This invention' relatesjto airplanes and Referrin'gto the dravvingmore specifically, more specifically deals with a safety device v wherein my device is shown mounted on the for landing airplanes in cases of emergency.V top of the cabin G,"Whichlisthe ordinarytype f Y An object of this invention Ais to equip `an of cabin built into airplanes, such as A; f 5 Vairplane Witha parachute which may be posijf The airplane" and the other equipment tivelyoperated in cases of emergency. I contained .'therei'n, enter into this invention Another` object is'to attach. aparachute to only in'abroad Way, therefore, no detailed .de-fk an airplane in such a manner thatpvvhen the lscription otk Y, such vwill be entered there. parachute isreleased, the airplane is carried ,Suffice i t,'tor"sa'yU that thisinvention isv apl10 Withithe maximum stability. f p .Y plicableto any airplane either Withcabinsor 60 lAnotherA object is to storethe parachute on vWithout. lIn an airplane JvWith'lno cabin', it top of the cabin. In thisposition, thepara- Would-be necessary Yto' mount-some support chuteis ready `for'instantaneo u s' use',l .isfsubc-V csimilar to a cabin roof over the cock pit and stantiallytfree v:from any entanglements and the inventionVv becomes 'equally serviceable. 15 may serve las a covering :for .the'cabin. f f Theensuing description will thereforevdeal 65 Anotherobjectis to'provide holding'means ymore,minutely With the means 'for mounting, A thatreturii'the parachuteintact'when notl in Ystoring and releasing afparachilte from an use. A Y. l f airplanerin casesfof emergency- I YAnother' ObjectisVV to provideV ymechanism The :means forzpermanently attaching a' ,-520 wherebyr said holding means are instantlyy parachutetofan airplane inthe mannefrfjust 'To converted into V'releasing means, that posi- 'described, compri`ses four v corner pieces' 10v tively and effectively operate to Jforce the rigidlymountedand securely-fixed tovtheftop parachute to open. v of the cabin C at each corner thereof, asV j ,n Briefly stated, my invention contemplates sliown ink Fig..n3. Y Q Q i v 1,25* incorporating as a permanent part of an air-4 Each piecel() forms; an airtight vcorner and 75 A plane, a parachute or a, plurality of. para- 11s' covvledl slightly inward, atthe to,p yEX- 'chutes that can be stored, Whennot in usey tendmgbetvveen vearch corner piecemlOVi'sa upon the top of the cabin .and may form a rigid .llWhich is securely mountedj'at y roof for the same ifdesirablmtogether with eachv endrgmto the corner'p1eces. Hingedly 4 '30 means operable from Withln the cabmvfor mounted on each bar 11,1s arguard'designated S0 surely and effectively releasing said parachute"by 1.2 formed Withhguard. membersfl' and in cases of emergency. 1 4 lextendino',at rigwt'j'anles to eachother." The foregoing objects and advantages, to-V shotvnfiii Fig."j{1,.. thegua'rd member` 1 3 .gether with any subsequent features that may yvhen'in l'closed position, isadapted Ito .la'yfonV A--"35109, developed in the specification and claims, v

` constitute my invention, one embodiment of againstiwindgpsgum- H flfl'lveA propellength Yhch 1S .shown ,and luustlated by Yay Qof Ithe guardinemberlBffcan'bedetermined i ffll@ H1 the aCCQmReYmdra-Wg', m by f praaial'rhaguardi; memberniris i 40 Fiml isaside elevation of an airplane with Y f. v 90V my pbarachute incorporated therewith', shoW-' ail ugh? (Il- O Slwlre there Y u2l ils Ct-(liaiige (ii'itslioilgge M As aflleansyozffreleasingthe parachute P, leased', 'Y y 1 I have provided a rotatable'disk centrally 145- F' f t 't 1rv Y y f l`1912te0t ontbeten 0f the .Cabm roof. 1 8# TQ '95" A Figjgskls a ragmenry' OPP an Yle 0 V *thedi'skl 17 ,have swiyelably' attachedy rods 'Y Fi'. 4 isa sectiononline of Fig 3 19? .Y .Y v Vshouting the parachute in storedposition; Q C12 Q IQWQP ldg? Of; thf Fig. 511s the same section, showing the guard membeia'll The disk- /175 1s rotatably 50 parachute released. u f v adapted to-abutntlre raillj'onthe-roof ofthe i l i i hlchi "turn alrepivotallyattachedgat'K p and is controlled by a handiwheel 20, which Y extends into the interior of the cabin C.

This arrangement provides a centrally located means of releasing said parachute, that is available to all occupantsof the cabin. However, any other means, such as a lever mounted near the pilots seat, is equally c adaptable. `I therefore, do `not Vconfine myself to the above specific mechanism.

l In mounting the parachute P, I first fasten the ropes 25, which are 'the. supporting .ropes of the parachute, to the edge of the guard Ymembers 18 properly vspacingfthem so that thestrain of supporting the planeis equally distributed. I then place the'fabricpart of the parachuteongthe roof ofthe cabin land V lay the. ropes along the edge underftlicguard member"V As' arl'grecantion. against the Weight of the ropes Zholding'down the'edge of the `parachujt'e 'P against lWind' pressure when the guard 12 yisin thefpo'sition shown in Fig. 5,7`IY have equipped each guard with set 'of fingers 26 which tend to pick up-the yWeightof l fthe rope vand also lift thev edge of` the parachute, thus forcing air v under- .the

' parachute Vand cansing it to rise inthe center.

VofthecabinC. Y

, Having set forth my invention, Iam aware 'y Vvthat many modifications may be resortedto Incperatiomqin ,cases of emergency, fthe hand-'Wheel20is unlocked and given a' fquick turn. Ilhe instantaneonsfactionof the air sweeping under the guardfmember 14 4causes the parachute to'immediately riseimthe center and having ystartedthe.operation continues to completion.

but since thisis a common e Xpedienial no ,guardes one direction.-

. Y lsign'a-3ure'. Y Inrespectto' the'handfwheel, itrmayfbe Y `found desirable to lock itin closed-position,

ually .operable v'means `for vswinging said c guards to release said parachute, and fingers on said guards arranged to project beneath the edges of the folded parachute and disposed to move upwardly on swinging said guard wheny releasing lsaid parachute.`

- 3. A parachute -attachment for airplanes comprising, a 1 parachute, a support ltherefor Von which said parachute may be folded,a

pair of hinged guards extending along-opl posed vsides of .sai'dparachute,.A said guards including portions extending over the upper margins rv'fithefolded parachute and portionsextending `dmjvnvvardly along opposed margins ofthe folded parachute; fingers on .said yguards1prlojectirig beneath thefolded parachutaanid manually operable meansffor swinging Said guards .to releasefthe parachute. l 'v 1111@- .parachute 'attachilfnantffory .aliv- In'.te'stimony.yvhereof,

" naar .L ITTLEI ymechanism is shown outside'of a pin27 which v 5" I .exten'dsthroughthe hand yvheel Without in anyway departing from the kscope into the roof .of thespeciicatiom northe purvievvf ofthe Vright to suchmodification. Iclaimi: i'

appended claims, I therefore, reserve the 1' In Combintelwth-an:mclanehaving i -a cabin, a parachute,l means vontop ofsaid Gabin fOfr hQldIig .Saidmrahutfwhenllapsed, means' for attachlasid Yi).arffuhvle .t0 the 019501? the Babin impeach, ai manner.

.to space the .points vf attachment@ sub 4stantially fthe' perimeter ofthe roofl ofsaid cabin, and means rfor releasing the paachute A by an'oocupant Within' the cabin,'said last mentioned means comprisingrguar'ds adapt- A ed to hold the parachute down Whenclosed and to force lair under the parachute when opened.

2. :AJ j :iarachiitey attachmentf-,or--airplanes Y comprsngfa parachute, asu-priore'arlgllel- 'acs les

fmareinalkrortons. effitheafoldedfnarachat Y 'F85 planes, ,aA parachute, a support on whichsald parachute ,may .be folded, a pair of :hinged guards ,extending valong the` marginlof the uns 

